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Underneath the peace: Shaolin monks’ views on the relationship between Buddhism and science

Lu, Yulin LU orcid and Joosse, Paul (2024) In Religion 55(1). p.222-242
Abstract
This study explores Buddhist monks’ views on the religion-science relationship in contemporary China. Drawing on survey data, interviews with monks, and participant observation within Shaolin Temple – famous for its antiquity and its export of Shaolin Kungfu – we discern and theoretically account for two forms of ‘non-conflict,’ between science and religion, that shape monks’ mental lives. One group holds an ‘independent non-conflict’ perspective, which sees religion and science being at peace chiefly because they are seen as being wholly non-interactive with of one another. Another group holds to ‘collaborative non-conflict’ perspective, which sees religion and science as existing in a mutually corroborative relationship because they... (More)
This study explores Buddhist monks’ views on the religion-science relationship in contemporary China. Drawing on survey data, interviews with monks, and participant observation within Shaolin Temple – famous for its antiquity and its export of Shaolin Kungfu – we discern and theoretically account for two forms of ‘non-conflict,’ between science and religion, that shape monks’ mental lives. One group holds an ‘independent non-conflict’ perspective, which sees religion and science being at peace chiefly because they are seen as being wholly non-interactive with of one another. Another group holds to ‘collaborative non-conflict’ perspective, which sees religion and science as existing in a mutually corroborative relationship because they tread on the same epistemic and sociocultural territory. Despite this bivalent amiability, we nevertheless encounter three tensions – relating to enchantment/disenchantment, epistemic authority, and technologically-induced secularization – that persist ‘underneath the peace’ between science and religion at Shaolin Temple. (Less)
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author
and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Religion
volume
55
issue
1
pages
20 pages
publisher
Taylor & Francis
external identifiers
  • scopus:85210735142
ISSN
0048-721X
DOI
10.1080/0048721X.2024.2418540
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
1bc287ec-909d-4faf-ae63-9bde14e3e85d
date added to LUP
2025-01-16 19:23:03
date last changed
2025-04-04 15:06:50
@article{1bc287ec-909d-4faf-ae63-9bde14e3e85d,
  abstract     = {{This study explores Buddhist monks’ views on the religion-science relationship in contemporary China. Drawing on survey data, interviews with monks, and participant observation within Shaolin Temple – famous for its antiquity and its export of Shaolin Kungfu – we discern and theoretically account for two forms of ‘non-conflict,’ between science and religion, that shape monks’ mental lives. One group holds an ‘independent non-conflict’ perspective, which sees religion and science being at peace chiefly because they are seen as being wholly non-interactive with of one another. Another group holds to ‘collaborative non-conflict’ perspective, which sees religion and science as existing in a mutually corroborative relationship because they tread on the same epistemic and sociocultural territory. Despite this bivalent amiability, we nevertheless encounter three tensions – relating to enchantment/disenchantment, epistemic authority, and technologically-induced secularization – that persist ‘underneath the peace’ between science and religion at Shaolin Temple.}},
  author       = {{Lu, Yulin and Joosse, Paul}},
  issn         = {{0048-721X}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{11}},
  number       = {{1}},
  pages        = {{222--242}},
  publisher    = {{Taylor & Francis}},
  series       = {{Religion}},
  title        = {{Underneath the peace: Shaolin monks’ views on the relationship between Buddhism and science}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/0048721X.2024.2418540}},
  doi          = {{10.1080/0048721X.2024.2418540}},
  volume       = {{55}},
  year         = {{2024}},
}